Councilmember Tommy Wells Councilmember David Grosso
Councilmember Mary M. Cheh Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie
A BILL
_______________
IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
_______________
Councilmembers Grosso, Wells, Cheh, and McDuffie introduced the following bill, which was
referred to the Committee on .
To amend Section 1-1001.08 of the District of Columbia Official Code to require all candidates for elected office to obtain a “clean hands” certification from the Office of Campaign Finance prior to obtaining ballot access for any election.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this
act may be cited as the “Clean Hands Elections Reform Amendment Act of 2014”.
Sec. 2. Definitions.
For the purposes of this act, the term:
(1) “Ballot access” means the conditions under which a candidate or political party is either entitled to stand for election or to appear on voters’ ballots.
(2) “Campaign” means any organized effort to influence the vote of District residents affiliated with a candidate.
(3) “Clean Hands” means free from debt; owing no outstanding taxes, fines, fees or the equivalent to local or federal officials.
Sec. 3. Clean Hands Certification.
Section 1-1001.08 of the District of Columbia Official Code is amended by adding subsection (t) to read as follows:
“(a) In addition to the qualifications of candidates outlined in this section, each candidate for election to the office of Mayor, Attorney General, Chairman of the Council, member of the Council, or member of the Board of Education, must first obtain a clean hands certification from the Office of Campaign Finance prior to obtaining ballot access for any election. This certification shall provide that:
(1) The candidate owes no outstanding taxes, fines or fees to the District.
(2) The candidate’s previous campaign or political committee owes no outstanding fines or fees to the District.
Sec. 4. Fiscal impact statement.
The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement in the committee report as the
fiscal impact statement required by section 602(c)(3) of the District of Columbia Home Rule
Act, approved December 24, 1973 (87 Stat. 813; D.C. Official Code § 1-206.02(c)(3)).
Sec. 5. Effective date.
This act shall take effect following approval by the Mayor (or in the event of veto by the Mayor, action by the Council to override the veto), a 30-day period of Congressional review as provided in section 602(c)(1) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December 24, 1973 (87 Stat. 813; D.C. Official Code § 1-206.02(c)(2)), and publication in the District of Columbia Register.